In the Wake of Celebrity Suicide,
June 15, 2018
Since the shocking suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, calls to the national suicide hotline have surged. The story was featured recently in the Wall Street Journal, with the staggering statistic that the rate of suicide in New York is five per hour. (read more)
But reaching out for professional help should not have to wait for a tragic headline. This weekend the New York Times had two feature articles about:
1) the rising suicide rate in the United States (read more)
2) the ongoing stigma around depression — a deadly barrier to treatment. (read more)
We applaud the media for the recognition of depression and mental health issues as a major global public health issue. At HDRF, we are working every day to find the biological causes of suicide and new antidepressants that work for those who do not respond to existing medications.
We are also committed to sparking a national conversation. There needs to be more discussion, more information, and more mindfulness of each other and our possible mental health struggles.
If you want to get involved in a concrete way, please join us as we gather as a community in Southampton on August 5 for the Walk of HOPE + 5K Run to Defeat Depression. Every step you take with us raises depression awareness. Every dollar you raise with us goes to urgent depression research. Register Here.
We look forward to walking and working with you to defeat depression.